Facebook Suicide Reporting: The New Frape?
I am sure that most people have at least one down-in-the-dumps friend connected to their Facebook account who regularly posts status updates regarding how depressed they are, or how they are contemplating suicide or self harm. Some of the harsher folk amongst us would see this as an act for attention but more compassionate individuals would simply read this as a cry for help and/or support.
But dejected Facebook members with this habit should think twice in the future before posting such updates since a new feature has recently been launched by the social network; suicide concerns reporting.
Members concerned for the well being of a friend can now report this to Facebook via the help centre. Searching the help centre with the word “suicide” will now bring up the clickable option of “How do I help someone who has posted suicide related content on the site?” Concerned users are then given the phone number for their local Samaritans charity service and the option to escalate their worries with a Facebook representative. Facebook will then attempt to contact the person (or local police services) directly to ask if they require help/investigate matters further.
The suicide arm of Facebook’s help centre has been launched in the wake of Brighton resident Simone Back’s suicide last Christmas. Back had posted a status announcing she had overdosed and although she received online responses, no one in the real world reached her in time to prevent the tragedy of her self-induced death.
But there is some worry that the suicide concerns service will be misused and become the new “frape” prank. The term “frape” is an amalgamation of the two words “Facebook” and “rape.” “Facebook rape” occurs when one user gains access to the account of a friend – or enemy – (unbeknown to them) and posts phoney status updates or alters the information contained within their profiles. Many would argue that this is a bit of harmless fun but putting friends under suicide watch is a far less amusing exploit which could stem from fake reports being made to Facebook’s help centre.
Facebook representatives were eager to make it clear to the press that the service so far has not been mistreated and that the network feels that they have already managed to help some depressed individuals via the facility (which has been launched in association with the Samaritans charity). But the service was not an obvious one and it now remains to be seen if the service is abused in light of its recent media coverage. Hopefully anyone involved in hoax reporting will be punished – perhaps with the banning of their IP address from accessing the website!
Members who are distressed by the unclear welfare of a friend are asked to fill in a sizeable form to explain their concerns to representatives of the social network. Hopefully this will also prevent abuse of the new strategy.
Although this suicide help service will no doubt prove useful in some instances, if you think a friend of yours is going to hurt themselves imminently, it might be worth cutting out the middle man and investigating the matter yourself. Time is often of the essence where suicide is concerned.
Kat Cole works as sales representative for easy offices Mayfair but enjoys penning guest blogs for various websites whenever she has a spare moment. Kat does not like Facebook as much as she used to.
Good to see facebook being proactive about this. Few things are worse than having someone die and knowing that you or someone else could of done something to prevent it.
Yup that procratination/life saving thing is a bummer – as the white house should know when it comes to the citizens in the east of Libya….
Yup that procrastination/life saving thing is a bummer – as the white house should know when it comes to the citizens in the east of Libya….
this is good..now you can save man’s life…but people should aware about this and use it for good…
suicide is a game of death…and i thinks this is a good idea making a Facebook suicide reporting..!!!!great post
great post..i never heard this before..this is cool..hope people well use this wisely..